


Our Secret

by cosmic_llin



Series: The Sarah Jane And Chrissie Mysteries [1]
Category: Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Drunkenness, Female Friendship, Gen, Motherhood, Rivalry, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-30
Updated: 2008-09-30
Packaged: 2017-10-07 22:41:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/69990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmic_llin/pseuds/cosmic_llin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah Jane bumps into Chrissie at the shops, and it's a bit uncomfortable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our Secret

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers up to and including The Last Sontaran.

It was only a few weeks after the Jacksons moved out of Bannerman Road that Sarah spotted Chrissie in H&amp;M. She was flicking listlessly through a rack of sparkly tops, and Sarah wondered for a moment whether she should just hurry away before Chrissie noticed she was there.

It was tempting. She was still, stupidly, a little afraid of Chrissie, after all that business with the police. Relations had been a bit more cordial since, but they had never quite managed to convincingly pretend to like one another, even if they were polite for Maria's sake. After Alan and Maria had left, Sarah had never really expected to see Chrissie again.

Still, she didn't turn to go, and as she looked at Chrissie, sighing and moving to the next rack, not really even looking at the clothes, she thought about how much she missed Maria and Alan, and how for Chrissie it must be the same.

And they shared a secret, now. Secrets brought people together, whether you wanted them to or not.

So she went over and said hello.

'Oh – hello, Sarah Jane,' Chrissie said. 'How are you? Saved the world much lately?'

Sarah shrugged. 'Once or twice. You?'

This almost raised a smile. 'Not since the first time.'

'You know,' Sarah said, 'I never thanked you for that. And I should have. It was very brave.'

'Well, you're welcome,' said Chrissie. 'And I need to thank you, too.'

'What for?'

'For not saving the world.'

Sarah frowned. 'I don't understand.'

'Alan and I were there for a while before we came out,' Chrissie explained. 'He was trying to put together some sort of weapon, he wanted to sneak up on the Sontaran. While he was doing that, I was listening to what was going on. You saved my Maria rather than save the world. So… thank you.'

'I couldn't have done anything else,' Sarah said.

They smiled at one another for a moment. It was odd and uncomfortable, but in a nice way.

'Look…' Chrissie said. 'Shall we go for a coffee, or something? I'm sure Maria calls you every day, too, and I'd like to compare notes, make sure she's telling me everything…'

Sarah looked at her watch. 'Luke gets home from school soon…'

Chrissie's face fell.

'But I'm sure he can look after himself for a bit,' Sarah continued. 'Come on.'

* * *

Chrissie ordered a Caramel Macchiato and a slice of cheesecake, and Sarah got a cup of tea.

'I know your name's Sarah Jane really,' Chrissie said after a moment. 'I just call you all those other things to piss Alan off. Petty, I suppose.'

'I've been called worse things, I'm sure,' said Sarah. 'Don't worry about it.'

'And I didn't mean to say you were a child snatcher and call the police on you,' Chrissie continued. 'Well… I did mean to – but I thought you really _were_ a child snatcher.'

'Perfectly understandable, so did almost everybody else,' said Sarah. 'You did the right thing under the circumstances. Water under the bridge, eh? Let's start fresh?'

'I'll drink to that,' said Chrissie, toasting Sarah with her mug and taking a big gulp. 'So – has Maria told you much about her new school?'

* * *

The coffee shop closed at seven, but by then Sarah and Chrissie were deep into a heated debate over Alan's hairstyle, and it seemed unreasonable to part now, with such a crucial point still undecided. Chrissie, it turned out, knew a place that did very good cocktails for half-price on a Tuesday night.

* * *

Luke knew that Sarah's hours were unpredictable, and so it was almost ten before he got worried enough to call her. 

'Mum?' he said. 'Aren't you coming home tonight?'

'Of course I am,' she said. 'Just not yet. Don't stay up too late, you've got school tomorrow. Love you, bye!'

She put her phone back in her pocket and picked up her glass. It was full of something pink and sickly, which she was surprised to find herself enjoying.

'I'll have to remember this place,' she said to Chrissie.

'Mmm…' Chrissie agreed. Then, suddenly, she laughed.

'What?' asked Sarah.

'Just thinking…' Chrissie said. 'What would Maria say, if she knew we were having a drink together?'

Sarah's eyes widened. 'The shock would be too much. She must _never_ know.'

They collapsed into a fit of giggles. It was probably the alcohol, Sarah thought. She wasn't used to all these fancy drinks with umbrellas in.

Chrissie put her finger to her lips, or at least as close as she could get it while drunk and doubled over with laughter.

'It'll be our secret,' she said. 'Another one.'

'Here's to secrets,' said Sarah.

'To secrets,' Chrissie agreed.

They raised their glasses, and smiled.

  



End file.
